Toys, Toys, Toys! Handmade, even!

I've recently delved into a whole new world of knitting - making toys. They're so fast to make! It started with my reading a blog and seeing a pattern for a carrot before Easter. It looked super easy, so I decided to give it a try. Then I saw a really cute pattern for a lamb that also looked super easy. Which meant that both a carrot and a lamb HAD to be in Max's Easter basket this year.

The carrot pattern is from Yarn Miracle.













The lamb pattern is Fuzzy Mitten's.



















After the Easter knitting rush, I had to try a frog from the same blog where I found the carrot pattern (Yarn Miracle). Actually, I bought it from her Etsy shop. The pattern was trickier than the carrot and the lamb, but it was pretty quick to knit and I love love love it. He lives on Max's play kitchen.



















I made another frog in solid orange. It's going to one of Max's old daycare teachers for Teacher Appreciation Day next week. Max is sad that this frog is not going to live on his kitchen with the other one. One day I plan to make him a bigger solid green frog to go with the stripey one.














I also made a turtle for another of Max's old teachers who loves turtles. This turtle was deceptively tricky to make. Whoever wrote the pattern told a big fat lie when she said this was a quick knit.














His current teachers get tiny bunnies. This was a free pattern from Twins Knit. I bought their Tom the Bear pattern, and I plan on making him soon.














Next up: a hammerhead shark for my nephew's birthday in a few weeks. I just started the shark, but the pattern is very simple, and I should be able to finish it quickly.

Now I'm afraid I must go do actual work, as I intend to defend my dissertation in June. No firm defense date yet, but I am determined to graduate this summer.